Oceanography is the research and study of the physical, chemical, and biological features of the ocean. It also deals with its history, its present and future conditions and aspects. With the earth's resources being damaged and exploited and the increase in global warming, the demand for oceanography has increased a lot.
Employment of oceanographers is said to grow by 7% from 2020 to 2030 which is the average for all the other occupations. This is because of the following reasons:
- COASTAL HAZARDS are one of the most damage-inducing and deadly phenomena. Tsunamis, floods, earthquakes, storms and the rise of sea levels are just some of the natural and man-induced coastal hazards. Right now the knowledge we have to identify the signs of coastal hazards and prevent them is pitiful
- NATIONAL SECURITY is also a great concern right now. With the world's situation as it is right now, many countries especially maritime countries, want to strengthen their ocean knowledge and maybe use the great seas as a weapon for protection.
- ENERGY is without doubt the most important reason countries want a better understanding of the ocean. With increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide viewed as a possible trigger of global warming, countries want a better understanding of tidal energy and ocean thermal energy conversion. They also want to use the untouched supply of the ocean's natural gas resources and petroleum.
- ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS is another reason countries, especially the US, are looking to broaden their army of oceanographers. There is a concern about the US and their capability to compete with Asia and Europe in this regard. Other countries also want to be the first to discover the undiscovered flora and fauna of the ocean.
The oceans are 70% of the earth and more than 80 per cent of the ocean has never been mapped, explored, or even seen by humans. So out of the 70% more than 56% haven't been studied.
India is one of the countries promoting oceanography as a career. Having immediate access to a large portion of the Indian Ocean, India is seeking to expand its resource management. The youth of India has also taken a keen interest in this and many have chosen to opt for oceanography as a career option. In today's rapidly growing and changing world, oceanology as a career has become a respected and valuable option and one worth exploring.
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